JJ de la Torre is a digital media executive, innovator, entrepreneur and startup mentor and investor. His work on digital disruption and entrepreneurship is featured in the INSEAD MBA program (of which he is also a graduate), World Economic Forum, OECD and the UN.

Through his career JJ has developed a unique set of product development and innovation capabilities from his work with multinational brands such as Coca-Cola, Vodafone, Proctor and Gamble and Orange Telecom.

I invited JJ to be on the program to learn about his view on entrepreneurship today, understand his approach to idea validation and how we can incorporate a culture of innovation in our organisations.

The personal qualities and characteristics that every entrepreneur should develop

The real definition of “innovation” and how it can be systemised

How any organisation can embed a culture of innovation

Steps to take on product and market validation before you invest

JJ embraces the unknown in pursuit of his dreams, and his excitement shines through in this interview.

As an entrepreneur he is the founder of SCM Medialabs (Digital Media Studio in Spain), iEducation Holdings (e-learning company in Chile), Interaxion (Incubator in Chile) and Afkar.me (the first full spectrum digital oriented incubation and acceleration platform for entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa region). In addition, JJ has been an angel investor in 14 startups and mentored more than 70.

JJ is motivated by the ability to build something from scratch and solve difficult problems in disruptive manners. He believes an entrepreneur is someone that has the capability to draw others toward their idea or vision. Along this journey, the entrepreneur should be able to bring the energy and motivation, and enthuse this in their team and followers. Passion, perseverance and tenacity are the core principles to work through the ups and downs of a venture.

JJ’s work in the digital, telecoms and media industries spans over 20 countries. He is currently Vice President Digital of Intigral (Dubai). Intigral is a digital media company that aims to differentiate the core services of Telcos by giving them access to innovative content via compelling, user-centric products and applications. JJ heads up the Digital Business unit with full P&L responsibility into Intigral digital products and services.